HONOLULU—According to preliminary visitor statistics released by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), a total of 871,870 visitors arrived in the Hawaiian Islands in December 2022, representing a 91.5 percent recovery from the same month in 2019.
How big is the tourism market in Hawaii?
Tourism represents roughly a quarter of Hawai'i's economy. In 2019, the visitor industry supported 216,000 jobs statewide, yielded nearly $17.8 billion in visitor spending, and contributed more than $2 billion in tax revenue to state coffers.
Why is Hawaii a popular tourist attraction?
Relaxation and natural beauty are the top drawsKnown for its active volcanoes, wildlife refuges, and tall active peaks, it's little wonder that 88% of our respondents cite natural beauty as a reason for visiting Hawaii. Relaxing by the beach is the second most popular reason for visiting.
Is Hawaii too touristy?
In pre-pandemic days, over 10 million people would arrive annually to enjoy the Hawaiian Islands. That's quite a bit of people, considering that the state's population is about 1.4 million. The impact of the high number of tourists hasn't gone unnoticed.
How popular is the tourism in Hawaii?
Is Hawaii tourism picking up?
Tourism in Hawaii is at record highs by some metricsHere are some of the most significant changes in Hawaii tourism between September 2019 and September 2022: Overall tourism spending in Hawaii is up 18.5%. The average trip length is up 5.9%. The number of tourists visiting from the rest of the U.S. is up 29%.
Is Hawaii still a popular vacation spot?
While the number of tourists in Hawaii is at about 96% of its pre-pandemic levels, signs point to 2023 far exceeding that. For starters, the number of tourists from the rest of the U.S. has already massively increased, up 29% in September 2022 versus September 2021, according to DBEDT data.
What percent of Hawaii’s economy is tourism?
In 2017 alone, according to state government data, there were over 9.4 million visitors to the Hawaiian Islands with expenditures of over $16 billion. Tourism comprises 21% of the state's economy, with many of Hawaii's largest industries revolving around the constant flow of tourists.
What island in Hawaii are tourists not allowed to go to?
Once owned by Royalty, Niihau was purchased from King Kamehameha in 1864 and up to 1987, visits to the island were typically restricted to the owners and their guests, or government officials, which is how it gained its moniker; “The Forbidden Island”.